Rack with uprights and girders with couplers facing the uprights, and system and method for producing same

ABSTRACT

A rack comprises two upright elements and a girder element, wherein the girder element extends between the two upright elements and comprises couplers, wherein the upright element or the coupler is provided with at least one coupling cam, whilst the other is provided with a cam-receiving groove belonging to the coupling cam, which cam-receiving groove has at least one open end and is delimited, at least partially, by a cam-supporting wall, and wherein the upright element or the coupler is additionally provided with at least one substantially vertically extending coupling rib, whilst the other is provided with a rib-receiving groove belonging to the coupling rib. At least one free end of the cross section of the coupling cam extends substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the girder element, and the free end of the cross section of the coupling rib extends substantially in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the girder element.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a rack according to the preamble of claim 1.

A rack of this type is known from European patent specification EP 0 686817. This patent specification discloses in FIG. 1A an embodiment of arack which is made up of at least two uprights and shelves which areplaced between the uprights and rest thereupon. The uprights eachcomprise, in this case, two upright elements which are connected closeto the top and bottom ends. The shelves comprise two girder elementswhich extend between two upright elements forming part of separateuprights.

The rack is constructed by fastening two couplers by means of clampconnections to two mutually opposing upright elements. Followingplacement of these couplers, the girder element can be placed betweenthem, which girder element is clamped to the couplers by means of awedge-shaped connection. A stable rack is thus obtained without the useof secondary connecting elements such as bolts and the like.

The good quality of the clamping connection between the upright elementsand the couplers is attributable to the combined effect of a couplingcam and a coupling rib on the upright element, which cooperate withrespectively a cam-receiving groove and a rib-receiving groove locatedon two separate sides of the coupler. One or more walls of thecam-receiving groove in the coupled state act as a cam-supporting wall.Following coupling to the upright element, the coupler rests by means ofthe cam-supporting wall on the coupling cam of the upright element. Atthe same time, the coupling cam and the cam-receiving groove ensure thatthe coupler clamps against the upright element, by virtue of the factthat one internal wall of the cam-receiving groove and one wall of thecoupling cam stand obliquely relative to the vertical. The coupling rib,in combination with the rib-receiving groove, limits the freedom ofmotion in the horizontal direction.

A disadvantage with the clamping connection of this known rack is that acoupler has to be fitted to the coupling rib and coupling cam by meansof a rotary motion about a vertical axis at the site of the couplingrib. It will be clear that this rotary motion can only be performed onone upright element at a time and that at least one coupler musttherefore be loose from the girder element in order to effect aconnection. In practice, in many cases even both couplers will bereleased, because it is impossible or impractical to co-rotate thegirder element with the coupler during coupling. A relatively largenumber of loose components, as well as a relatively large number ofoperations, are therefore necessary to assemble a rack.

A second disadvantage of this known rack is that the upright element canbe made only by pressing or die-casting in dies of a certain length.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a rack in which thesedisadvantages are at least partially overcome, or to provide a usablealternative. More particularly, the object of the invention is toprovide a rack which is simple to assemble, is stable and is relativelycheap to produce.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a rackaccording to claim 1. In this, the rack comprises at least two uprightelements and a girder element, whilst a coupler is provided at each ofthe ends of the girder element. The girder element with couplers iscoupled to the upright elements by means of at least one coupling camand one coupling rib, with complementary receiving grooves. These arerespectively referred to as the cam-receiving groove and therib-receiving groove. The coupling cam, coupling rib and receivinggrooves are located, at least on one combination of upright element andcoupler, at one of the ends of the girder element. The coupler and theupright element on the other side of the girder element can beidentically or differently shaped. The coupling cam is located on theupright, or on the coupler, the cam-receiving groove being located onthe other of these two. The same applies mutatis mutandis to thecoupling rib and rib-receiving groove, which extend substantiallyvertically. The coupling rib, or the rib-receiving groove, located onthe upright element can extend along the whole of the length of theupright element, or along a part thereof.

The cam-receiving groove is realized such that the coupler can rest bymeans of the coupling cam upon the upright element and one or more wallsof the cam-receiving groove. This part of the wall, or walls, of thecam-receiving groove is referred to as the cam-supporting wall. Inaddition, the cam-receiving groove comprises at least one opening, bywhich the coupling cam is received as the coupler is coupled to theupright.

The longitudinal margin of the coupling rib, which, viewed in crosssection, is the free end of the rib, extends in a direction transverselyto the longitudinal axis of the girder element, whilst the longitudinalmargin of the coupling cam extends in a direction transversely hereto,that is to say in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the girderelement. The advantage of these mutual directions is that the couplercan be coupled to the upright element by means of two translatorymotions in the plane transversely to the longitudinal axis of the girderelement. By virtue of the fact that neither motions in the longitudinaldirection of the girder element nor rotations are necessary, thecouplers can be fastened during coupling, or even permanently, to thegirder element and both couplers of one girder element cansimultaneously be coupled to their respective upright elements.

Following coupling, a stable connection is obtained. In the verticaldirection, the girder element rests, by means of the couplers and thecombination of coupling cam and cam-supporting wall of the receivinggroove, on each of the upright elements. In the horizontal direction,the coupling cam and coupling rib, each by means of their respectivereceiving groove, limit both horizontal translation motions. The samecombination also renders rotation about each horizontal axis impossible,whilst, in practice, rotation about a vertical axis is also impossible,since the girder element is coupled by both ends to an upright element.

The coupling cams, coupling ribs and their respective receiving groovescan be fitted in the horizontal direction to any chosen position alongthe wall of the upright element, or of the coupler.

Both the coupling cam and the coupling rib can be realized with variedcross sectional shapes. Examples thereof are a wedge shape, rectangularshape, semi-circular and oval shapes. The cross sectional shape of thecoupling cam can be undercut.

Advantageously, the coupling cam can be fastened by a web, also referredto as a cam web, to the upright element, or the coupler. Viewed in crosssection, the web extends in a direction other than that of the cam. Thisembodiment has at least two advantages. In the first place, the web canbe fitted in any chosen direction to one of the side faces of theupright element, whilst the cam still maintains, however, the directiondescribed in claim 1. Two cams, which are each intended for the couplingof a separate girder element to the same upright element, can thereby,for example, be fitted to the same longitudinal side face of the uprightelement. In the second place, the web, following coupling, removes anextra degree of freedom of motion, thereby precluding rotation of thecoupler about a vertical axis, even if the other end of the girderelement is kept free.

In particular, a plurality of coupling cams, or cam-receiving grooves,can be fitted at some distance apart in the longitudinal direction of anupright element. A plurality of girder elements can be thereby becoupled one above the other to the same upright element.

Advantageously, the coupler can also be provided with a plurality ofcam-receiving grooves, or coupling cams. Each cam-receiving groove orcoupling cam on the coupler engages on one coupling cam, orcam-receiving groove, on the upright element. In this embodiment, thecams can be realized with a relatively small height and can additionallybe fitted at a relatively small distance apart. The positive result ofthis is that there are many more options in the choice of height forfastening a girder element to the upright element than in the embodimentaccording to the prior art.

In another embodiment, the upright element and the coupler are providedwith at least one extra combination of coupling rib with correspondingreceiving groove. This combination removes extra freedom of motion, in acomparable manner to the cam web as described above. By providing theupright element and the coupler, instead of with one extra combinationof coupling rib with receiving groove, with a series of a plurality ofribs and receiving grooves, an extra stable connection is obtained, aload on the girder element being transmitted, via the plurality of ribsand grooves on the coupler and the upright element, to the uprightelement.

In a particular embodiment, the rack is wholly or partially constructedin plastic. This material offers advantages, from a hygienic viewpoint,for the storage of foods. The coupling elements, such as cams, ribs andreceiving grooves, can be directly jointly moulded during production,thereby producing cost savings.

Advantageously, one or more walls of the coupling cam, and/or of thecam-receiving groove, can make an oblique angle relative to thevertical. This oblique angle offers two advantages. In the first place,the obliquely constructed wall forms a boundary in the verticaldirection, whereby this acts as a cam-supporting wall. In the secondplace, one or more obliquely constructed walls can produce a clampingeffect between the coupler and the upright element in one or twodirections. Clamping in the direction of the longitudinal axis of thegirder element is obtained by making the wall of the coupling cam, whichstands perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the girder element,oblique. As a result, the actual coupler will clamp during couplingagainst the upright element, the coupling rib will clamp against a sidewall of the rib-receiving groove, and/or the cam-receiving groove willclamp against any web present on the coupling cam. A similar effect isachieved by making the corresponding internal wall of the cam-receivinggroove oblique. Clamping in the horizontal direction at right angles tothe longitudinal axis of the girder element is obtained by making one ortwo of the side walls of the coupling cam oblique and/or by making thecorresponding walls of the receiving groove oblique. It is advantageousto use a combination of the above embodiments, since clamping is thenobtained in two directions.

In a particular embodiment, both walls of the cam-receiving grooveconverge, whereby the clamping effect can occur in the direction atright-angles to the longitudinal axis of the girder element without thecontribution of the coupling rib, or any cam web present.

Advantageously, a wall of a coupling rib can make an oblique anglerelative to a notional plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ofthe girder element. This can also apply to a plurality of walls of therib, as well as to the walls of the rib-receiving groove. Owing to thisoblique course, the coupling rib will be received in the rib-receivinggroove in a clamping manner, thereby making the connection extra stable.This clamping effect can be supplementary to that of previouslydescribed measures, but can also be achieved in isolation.

In a particular embodiment, an upright element can be arranged such thatall cams, coupling ribs, receiving grooves and any other elements whichare fitted thereto have a constant cross section, viewed in thelongitudinal direction of the upright element. In this context, it iseasily conceivable for this constant course to be only present duringthe start of the production of the upright element and for the constantcourse still to be interrupted during subsequent working steps. Aprerequisite for this constant course is that any cams, ribs andreceiving grooves which have a wall running obliquely relative to thevertical shall be provided on the coupler. The advantage of a constantcross section is that this makes several production methods possible,which, moreover, are cheaper and more flexible.

Further embodiments of the invention are defined in the sub-claims.

The invention also relates to the use of the rack in cold stores andstore rooms according to claim 13. This rack is especially attractivefor use in the food industry, owing to the good hygienic characteristicsresulting from the absence of loose connecting means and from theplastics exterior of some of the embodiments.

The invention additionally relates to an assembly of non-coupled uprightand girder elements according to claim 14. This non-coupled state mayarise, for example, during production, transport, storage, or sale.

Claims 15 to 17 define a method, including a number of variants, for theproduction of an upright element by extrusion. In the extrusion, thewhole of the cross section of the upright element can be mouldeddirectly in one operation, but the exterior of the upright element canalso be extruded around a core profile, or, in a subsequent workingstep, an extruded outer edge can be fitted around a core profile. Anycoupling ribs and receiving grooves can be coextruded in one and thesame working step. In the same step, a continuous cam profile can alsobe coextruded, which is then locally interrupted in a subsequent workingstep, for example by means of a milling operation. Extrusion undoubtedlyoffers two advantages. Firstly, this provides a relatively cheapproduction method. Secondly, different lengths can easily be produced.The forming of cams in a separate production step, through the removalof material from the cam profile, offers an extra advantage. Only whenthe material is removed is it established what the vertical distancebetween—and height of—the cams becomes. This makes it possible toproduce a stock of upright elements and to make them specific at a laterstage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A number of embodiments of the invention will be explained in greaterdetail with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an upright element and a pair of girderelements to be connected thereto, the core profile of the uprightelement being a pipe profile;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, the core profile of the uprightelement being a T-profile;

FIG. 3 shows a cross section through a clamping connection according tothe invention in a third embodiment, the core profile of the uprightelement being a H-profile;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment having an oppositedirection of the coupling cam relative to the preceding figures anddifferent positioning of the coupling rib;

FIG. 5 is a cross section through FIG. 4, after the realization of acoupling;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment having a plurality ofcoupling cams.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the rack

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The upright element A represented in FIG. 1 comprises a core profile 1and a plastics casing 2.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the core profile 1 is formed by apipe profile of rectangular cross section, preferably consisting ofmetal, such as steel.

The upright element A is more particularly intended to form, togetherwith a second similar upright element, an upright for a rack. To thisend, the two upright elements are joined together at the top and bottomends by a transverse connecting element, such as the lowermosttransverse connecting element a partially represented in FIG. 1. For thesake of clarity, the uppermost part of the upright element and theuppermost transverse connecting element are omitted in FIG. 1.

The upright element A represented in FIG. 1 is intended to be connectedat different heights to a pair of girder elements B extending inopposite directions from the upright element. In this case, each girderelement can form, together with a girder element which is situated at adistance therefrom in the transverse direction and which is to beconnected to the second upright element of the upright in question, a(support for a) shelf.

The girder elements B likewise comprise a (metal) core profile and aplastics casing. The girder elements are provided at the ends with aplastic-moulded coupler C, which, as a separate moulding or pressing,can be fitted to the end in question of the girder element and can beglued thereto.

The couplers C shown in FIG. 1 have an end face C1, which, in theintended connection, comes to bear against the longitudinal side face A1of the upright element A, which longitudinal side face falls within theplane of the upright to be formed with a second upright element. In theend face C1, a cam-receiving groove C2, which is closed at the top endand is open at the bottom end, is recessed.

On each longitudinal side face A1 of the upright element A there is aseries of coupling cams A2, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal(=vertical) direction of the upright element and fit tightly into theslots (cam-receiving grooves) C2. The cams A2 have, in the longitudinaldirection of the upright element A, a constant (possibly undercut) crosssection, the free end of which extends in the direction of thelongitudinal axis of the girder element B. Owing to the constant crosssection, the cams A2, in the production of the upright element A, can becoextruded, in the form of a continuous cam profile, with the casing 2of the upright element. The coextruded cam profile can then subsequentlybe divided into separate cams by locally removing the material from thecontinuous cam profile and rounding off the remaining cams at the topend in accordance with the shape of the closed ends of the slots C2.Each “remaining” coupling cam A2 could be further sub-divided into, forexample, two, or more, separate cam parts.

Each coupler C also has a part C3 protruding beyond the end face C1, inwhich part a slot or receiving groove C4 is recessed, which extendsperpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the girder element B andis intended to receive a coupling rib A4 protruding from thelongitudinal side face A3, adjoining the longitudinal side face A1, ofthe upright element A. Both coupling ribs A4 protrude from the sameadjoining longitudinal side face A3 of the upright element A in adirection transversely to the longitudinal axis of the girder element Band extend over the entire length of the upright element as a continuousprofile, which is coextruded as such in the production of the uprightelement.

The situation represented in FIG. 1 is obtained by moving the girderelements B and the couplers C along an arrow P until the receivinggrooves C4 of the coupler C are aligned with the continuous couplingribs A4 of the upright element A. Since the upright element, unlike thesituation drawn in FIG. 1, extends, broadly speaking, further upwards,the coupling ribs A4 of the upright element A are now located in therib-receiving grooves C4 of the couplers C and the cam-receiving groovesC2 of the couplers C are located between two successive coupling camsA2. It will be clear that the girder elements B can then easily beconnected to the upright element A by displacing the girder elements Band the couplers C according to the arrows Q. The coupling cams A2 thusengage in the corresponding cam-receiving grooves C2 in the end faces C1of the couplers C until the top ends of the coupling cams A2 hit againstthe uppermost closed ends of the receiving grooves C2. The result is astrong, stable connection without secondary connecting elements, such asscrews. In this context, it should also be noted that the height of thepart C3 of the coupler C, protruding in front of the end face C1, isenlarged towards the bottom relative to the rest of the coupler C. Thewalls of the receiving groove C2 can in this case converge a littlerelative to each other in order to promote a certain wedging effect andhence the clamping effect.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, a T-profile 1 ^(I) is used as thecore profile for the upright element A^(I). The upright element A^(I)consequently also has the shape of a T-profile. By comparison with theembodiment according to FIG. 1, in FIG. 2 the relevant longitudinal sidefaces, couplers, coupling cams and receiving grooves are denoted by thesame reference numerals as in FIG. 1, but provided with an^(I).

Just as in the embodiment according to FIG. 1, a girder element B^(I)can be connected to the upright element A^(I) by means of a simplemanoeuvre, namely by bringing the particular coupler C^(I), via theinterspace between two successive coupling cams A2 ^(I) (see arrow P),into engagement with the continuous coupling rib A4 ^(I) of the uprightelement and then, through a vertical displacement according to the arrowQ, effecting the engagement between the receiving groove C2 ^(I) and theparticular coupling cam A2 ^(I). It should further be noted in thiscontext that the rib-receiving groove C4 ^(I) on the side of the endface C1 ^(I) is flanked by a rib part C5 ^(I), which fits into thecontinuous receiving groove A5 ^(I) which is present on that side of thecontinuous coupling rib A4 ^(I) facing the web of the T-profile 1 ^(I).The rib part C5 ^(I) is staggered inwards over such a distance relativeto the outer side of the rest of the coupler C^(I) that in the mountedstate the coupler C^(I) has come to lie in a single plane with the outerside of the transverse part of the T-shaped upright element A^(I).

In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the upright element A^(II) has anH-shaped core profile 1 ^(II) and this upright element is connected to agirder element B^(II).

The girder element B^(II) has a coupler C^(II) which, similarly to thecoupler C^(I) in FIG. 2, is provided with a cam-receiving groove C2^(II), which is closed at the top end, and a rib-receiving groove C4^(II), which is open both at the top end and the bottom end. Thesereceiving grooves cooperate with, respectively, a coupling cam A2 ^(II)and a continuous coupling rib A4 ^(II), which form part of the plasticscladding 2 ^(II) of the upright element A^(II).

Unlike the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the coupler C^(II) is widenedover a distance x and on the coupler C^(II) an extra coupling ribCX^(II) is formed, which engages, respectively, in the interspace and inthe rib-receiving groove y of the upright profile A^(II). A similarextra rib/groove connection can be realized in an upright element of thetype according to other figures.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 4, the upright element A^(III) canbe connected to a girder element B^(III).

The girder element B^(III) has a coupler C^(III), which is provided witha cam-receiving groove C2 ^(III), which is closed at the top end, and acoupling rib C6 ^(III). The cam-receiving groove C2 ^(III) cooperateswith a coupling cam A2 ^(III) on the upright element A^(III).

Unlike the embodiment according to the preceding figures, the free endof the coupling cam A2 ^(III) points away from the coupler C^(III) andit is connected by a web A21 ^(III) to the upright element A^(III).Furthermore, also unlike previous figures, the upright element A^(III)is provided with a rib-receiving groove A6 ^(III), which cooperates withthe coupling rib C6 ^(III). In this embodiment, too, coupling iseffected by placing the coupler C^(III) according to the arrow P betweentwo coupling cams A2 ^(III) and moving it downwards along the arrow Q.

A cross section along V—V—V—V in FIG. 4, in the coupled state, is shownin FIG. 5.

The embodiment of FIG. 6 shows a variant on FIG. 1. In this variant, thecoupler C^(v) is provided with in each case three cam-receiving groovesC2 ^(v), which cooperate with three of the coupling cams A2 ^(v) on theupright element A^(v). Unlike other figures, two of the cam-receivinggrooves C2 ^(v) are open towards the side in order to receive the camsA2 ^(v) during the horizontal motion P which precedes the verticalmotion Q.

In addition to the illustrated embodiments, many variants are possible,including combinations of measures from different embodiments. Thus, thecross section of the upright element can assume various shapes,including round, oval, polygonal and I-shaped.

At least one coupling cam can also be fitted to the coupler instead ofto the upright element, in which case the corresponding cam-receivinggroove is provided on the upright element instead of on the coupler. Thesame applies mutatis mutandis to the coupling rib and the correspondingrib-receiving groove in relation to the upright element and the coupler.Two coupling cams, each intended for a separate coupler, could also beconnected by a common web to the upright element.

It is further possible to interrupt not only the coupling cams, but alsothe coupling ribs in the longitudinal direction, so that therib-receiving groove can also be closed at one, or two, ends.

One face of an upright, for example the longitudinal side face A3, or A3^(v), can also be provided with a plurality of ribs, which cooperatewith rib-receiving grooves on the coupler.

In the embodiments which have more than one cam-receiving groove perupright element or coupler, these cam-receiving grooves can be realizedsuch that they are completely separated from one another or they can beintegrated to form a ramified cam-receiving groove having a plurality ofopen ends, which, during coupling, can each receive a coupling cam.

According to the invention, a rack is thus provided which is cheap toproduce, can be easily put together by anyone without further tools orseperate connecting means, is stable and is suitable for use in thestorage of foods.

1. Rack, comprising at least two upright elements and at least onegirder element, wherein said girder element extends between said twoupright elements and comprises couplers at its ends facing said uprightelements, wherein at least one of said upright elements is provided withat least one coupling cam, whilst said coupler is provided with acam-receiving groove belonging to said coupling cam, which cam-receivinggroove has at least one open end and is delimited, at least partially,by a cam-supporting wall, and wherein the at least one upright elementor said complementary coupler is additionally provided with at least onesubstantially vertically extending coupling rib, whilst the other ofsaid at least one upright element and said coupler is provided with arib-receiving groove belonging to the coupling rib, wherein at least onefree end of substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis ofsaid girder element, and a free end of the cross section of saidcoupling rib extends substantially in the direction perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of the girder element.
 2. Rack according to claim 1,wherein said coupling cam is connected by a web to said upright element,which web, viewed in cross section, extends in a direction other thanthat of said coupling cam.
 3. Rack according to claim 1, wherein saidupright element is provided with a series of coupling cams which arespaced apart in the longitudinal direction of said upright element. 4.Rack according to claim 3, wherein said coupler is provided with aplurality of cam-receiving grooves.
 5. Rack according to claim 1,wherein said upright element or said coupler is provided with a secondsubstantially vertically extending coupling rib, whilst the other ofsaid upright element and said coupler is provided with a secondrib-receiving groove belonging to said second coupling rib.
 6. Rackaccording to claim 1, wherein said upright element, at least on an outerside, is moulded from plastic, from which said coupling cam, saidcoupling rib are jointly moulded.
 7. Rack according to claim 6, whereinsaid upright element, comprises, a substantially rectangular pipeprofile.
 8. Rack according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of saidcam-supporting wall is formed by a closed end of said cam-receivinggroove.
 9. Rack according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of saidcam-supporting wall is formed by a wall of said cam-receiving groove,which makes an angle relative to the vertical.
 10. Rack according toclaim 9, wherein two side walls of said coupling cam mutually converge.11. Rack according to claim 9, wherein the two sided walls of saidcam-receiving groove mutually converge.
 12. Rack according to claim 1,wherein at least one of said upright elements has a cross section whichis constant during the production.
 13. Use of a rack according to claim1 in cold stores and store rooms.
 14. System comprising at least twoupright elements and at least one girder element, wherein the girderelement on at least one of its ends comprises a coupler, intended for arack according to claim
 1. 15. Method for producing an upright elementfor a rack according to claim 1, comprising a step of the extrusion ofat least an outer wall of said upright element, the coextrusion, as acontinuous profile, of said coupling ribs, coupling cams and receivinggrooves, and a step of the local removal of profile material frombetween said coupling cams to be moulded.
 16. Method according to claim15, wherein the material to be extruded is extruded around a coreprofile.
 17. Method according to claim 15, wherein said extruded outerwall of said upright element, following the extrusion, is fitted over acore profile.
 18. Rack according to claim 1, wherein said coupler, atleast on the outer side, is moulded from plastic, from which saidcoupling cam, and said receiving grooves are jointly moulded.